Lubricating device for automobiles



PATENTED DEC. '10, 1907.

VF. J. ZIEGLER. LUBRIGATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIOA'I'ION 1ILBD APR. 2. 1907.

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I 1""FREDERIGK J. ZIEGLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907 A li ti fil d April 2. 1907. Serial No. 365.965-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. ZIEG- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Devices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices by means of which a lubricant may be fed in the desired quantity to the part or parts to be lubricated, and particularly to devices for this purpose which are used upon automobiles.

The invention has among its objects to furnish a lubricator which is operated from the engine to be lubricated, and in which, in

addition to the automatic control of the feed of the lubricant which is obtained by operating the device from the engine, there is also provided means for-varying the quantity of lubricant which is fed by the operation of the engine or motor.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device including improved mechanism whereby the feed maybe changed atwill and to furnish means whereby the feed may be manually controlled irrespective of the speed of the engine.

With these ends in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters denote the same parts throughout, Figure -1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a lubricating device constructed in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2, 2 Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3, 3, Fig. 1.

In the drawin s 1 denotes a container for the lubricant, w 'ch container is preferably constructed in the form of a cylindrical casing having its axis disposed horizontally. The contamer or cylinder 1 has arranged at the bottom thereof a number of openings 2, and at the point where these openings are located there is arranged, below said cylinder, a horizontal tube 3 which directly communieates with the openings 2 and which has its upper portion formed by the bottom of the cylinder 1. Extending downwardly from the tube 3 and communicating therewith at points opposite the openings 2, are lubricantcups 4, which lead into a second horizontal tube 5 arranged below the tube 3. Said lower tube 5 is supported from the container or cylinder 1, directly below the latter, by means of arms or brackets 6 as shown. Lubricant-conducting pipes 50 lead from the lower tube 5, at points below the lubricant cups to the parts to be lubricated. cg

Within the cylinder 1 is horizontally journaled a shaft 7 extending at one end without the casing and there provided with a pulley 8 by means of which connection is made with p the engine or other device to be lubricated, so that the shaft 7 will be rotated at a speed corresponding to that of the engine or other device. A second shaft 9 is rotatable in the tube 3, said shaft fitting rather tightly within said tube. Said shaft 9 is pierced with transverse openings or bores 10 adapted to register with the openings 2 of the cylinder. When the openings of the shaft 9 and the openings 2 are in register the oil or other lubricant will be permitted to pass from the cylinder 1, through the shaft 9, and into the lubricant-cups 4, as will be understood. The shaft 9 is operated from the shaft 7, which may be termed the main shaft, by means of a cam 11 arranged upon the latter shaft, at one end of the same, and adapted to coact with a projection 12 formed on the shaft 9 at a point without the tube 3. The cylinder 11 engages the projection 12 by means of a tapering, longitudinal rib 13 formed on said cam, and in order to regulate the amount of lubricant passing to the cups 4, the cam 11 is slidable axially along its shaft 7 so that its movement of the cam is produced by a rod 14 movable longitudinally within the cylinder 1 and having a forked end 15 fitting over a collar 16 formed on the cam. The shaft 9 is normally maintained in such a position that its openings 10 are out of register with the openings 2, by means of a helical spring- 17 embracing said shaft at one end within the cylinder or container 1, as shown in Fig. '1. A third shaft 18 fits tightly within the lower tube 5 and is rotatable therein. Said shaft is provided with transverse bores or openings 19 adapted to register with the openings between the tube 5 and the lower ends of the lubricant-cups and also to register with the bores of the lubricant-conducting pipes 50 and allows the lubricant to drip. The shaft 18 extends-at one end beyond the tube 5 and is there provided with a gearsegment 20 which meshes with a similar segment 21 keyed on the corresponding end of the shaft 9. These segments engage each other in such a manner that when the openings ofthe upper shaft 9 are out of register with the openings in the container, the openings of the lower shaft 18 are in register with the lubricant-cups, and vice versa.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the lubricant is conducted into the cups 4 at their upper portions by means of small tubes 22 open at their lower ends, and movable upwardly into said tubes and telescoping therewith are smaller tubes 23 which are carried by measuring plungers 24. These plungers 24 fit closely within the lubricant-cups 4 and permit only the space below them to be filled with the lubricant, inasmuch as such lubricant passes downwardly through the tubes' 23 into the lower portions of the lubricantcups 4. Accordingly the amount of lubricant which is permitted to pass to the openings of the shaft 18 is dependent on the height of the measuring plunger 24 in the corresponding cup 4. The vertical adjustmentof each plunger 24 by which the desired feed is obtained is effected by a threaded bolt or spindle 25 secured to a lateral extension of said plunger and threaded through the easing, this bolt being disposed vertically, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

. The operation of the device is as follows: The main shaft 7 of the lubricator is rotated through its connection with the engine or other device to be lubricated, and accordingly the speed at which said shaft rotates is de endent upon that of such engine or ot er device. By the rotation of the shaft 7 the cam 11 is rotated, and by its rib 13 it engages the projection 12 of the shaft 9 and rocks said shaft so as to bring the openings of said shaft into register with the openings 2 in the bottom of the cylinder or container 1, at the same time bringing the openings in the shaft 18 out of register with the openings in the bottom of the lubricant-cups 4. The length of time during which the openings 2 and 10 are held in register corresponds to the width of the rib 13 of the cam at the point where it engages the projection 12, as will be understood, and accordingly said openings may be brought to register for a longer or shorter time at each revolution of the main shaft, thus controlling the feed of the lubricant. This controlling action may be readily effected through the use of the rod 14 which is operated from the exterior of the device. As soon as the cam and projection are disengaged the shaft 9 will be returned to its nor mal position by the spring 17 and accordingly the supply of lubricant will be cut off. After passing through the openings 10 of the shaft 9 the lubricant is received by the cups 4, through which it passes downwardly. It is apparent that the shaft 18 will be rocked by its connection with the shaft 9, and accordingly, when the spring 17 returns the latter shaft to its normal position, the shaft 18 will also be returned to its normal position, in which its openings 19 are in register with the lubricant-cups 4. When the shaft 18 is thus returned to its normal position, the lu bricant will be permitted to pass through the openings 19 and into the pipes 50, by which it is conducted to the parts to be lubrirnitcd. Capillary pipes 03, 7/, 2 are provided, connecting the container 1 with the respective lubricant-cups 4. By this arrangement the proper circulation of air and the easy flow of the lubricant is produced to give vent to any air in the cups, which otherwise might cause a back pressure. The feed of the lubricant through each one of the distributing pipes 50 may be controlled independently by means of the bolts 25 which are adjusted in such a manner that the corresponding measuring plungers are so placed in their cups as to cause the desired amount of lubricant to be fed.

It is an especially advantageous feature of the invention that the engine or other device to be lubricated may be made to feed the lubricant in exactly the proper amount, this amount being regulated very readily by the rod 14 for shifting the cam. Said rod may, of course, be operated. during the operation of the engine. Further, the device is of comparatively simple construction and very compact and is very efficient and durable in operation. Further, by the different controls described, the feed of the lubricant in exactly the required amount may under any conditions be easily obtained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a lubricator, the combination of a container for the lubricant, a shaft which controls by its angular position the discharge of lubricant from said container, a shaft journaled in said container and arranged for operative connection with the engine to be lubricated, and an operative connection bc tween said shafts by which the dischargecon trolling shaft is rocked.

2. In a lubricating device, the combination of a container, an operating shaft journaled therein, a rockable dischargc-controlling shaft, means to normally hold said lastnamed shaft in position to cut off the lubricant, and an operative connection between said shafts by which the discharge-controlling shaft is rocked in opposition to said means.

3. In a lubricator, the combination of a container, an operating shaft journaled tl1crein, a rockable discharge-controlling shaft, means to normally hold said last-named shaft in cut-off position, and an :uljustable connection between said shafts by which the discharge-controlling shaft may be moved into discharging position and eld in such position during variable periods of time.

4. In a lubricator, in combination, a container for the lubricant having openings therein, a shaft having openings therein to register with the openings of said container, a shaft journaled in said container and adapted foroperative connection with the engme or other device to be lubricated, and a cam on said last-named shaft for rocking said first-named shaft.

5. In a lubricator, the combination of a container having an opening, a rockable shaft having a transverse opening to register with that of said container, means to normally maintain said shaft in such a position that said openings are out of register, and means for rocking said shaft so that said openings are brought into register, said means being manually adjustable to cause said openings to register during different periods of time.

6. In a lubricator, the combination, with the container, the tubes, and the shafts in said tubes, of the lubricant-cups extending between said tubes, and the measuring plungers whereby the passage of lubricant Through said cups may be manually reguated.

7. In a lubricator, the combination, with the container, the tubes and the shafts in said tubes, of lubricant-cups extending between said tubes, measuring plungers in said cups, and means for adjusting said measuring plungers.

8. In a lubricator, the-combination, with a lubricant-cu of a tube in the upper part thereof to w 'ch the lubricant is supplied, a measuring1 plunger in said cup having an opening t erein, a tube secured in said opening of said measuring plunger and telescope ing with said first-named tube, and means for varying the position of said measuring plunger in said cup.

9. In a lubricator, the combination, with a container for the lubricant, of tubes in communication with said container and with each other, discharge-controlling shafts in said tubes, automatically-operated means for rocking one of said shafts to hold the same in discharge position during variable periods of time, and a connection between said shafts whereby they are simultaneously, but oppositely, actuated.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK J. ZIEGLER.

Witnesses:

DAVID LEIME, HENRY J. SUHRBIER. 

